Arcades should be a Tradition
by Assassination
Summary: “Hey,” he spoke, finally catching up with him, “is this ‘arcade’ thing...a tradition or somethin’? I thought people celebrate with their parents.” Renji learns about how much fun arcades can be, and Ichigo learns that it SHOULD be a tradition, in a sense.
1. A Twist

"Hey, berry-head," Renji frowned, leaning on the chair the teenager owned. Said teen was rummaging through his things, trying to find his wallet, swearing the black foldable thing was around there someplace. Stopping, he stood from his hunched over form and turned angrily, glaring at the redhead. "We gonna go or not?"

"Shut the hell up, pineapple-head!!" he snapped, turning back to crouching to floor-level, searching underneath his bed, giving Renji an awesome view of his ass, yet the Zabimaru possessor decided to steer away from that fact. "Dammit...Kon must've taken it...that porn lover!" he hissed, lifting his head quickly, forgetting he was under the bed and whacked his head against the bottom with a cry of pain, catching Renji's attention.

Snapping into a standing position, he rushed over to the orange haired teen's side, bending down as the eldest Kurosaki sibling retreated his head out, growling from frustration and nursing the back of his wounded head.

"You all right, Ichigo?" the redhead asked quickly, not sure if the teenager was in the mood for such stupid questions.

"Yeah," he groaned, dropping his head after a while, holding his right hand against the forming bruise, his left on the ground. "Where's that porn loving plushy?!" His brown eyes blinked once he saw the silver chain to his clip-on money carrier, dangling in his face. Lifting his head, he saw that Renji leaned in, an oblivious, bored, expression on his face.

"I was about to say...that I found it in that drawer," he said, sounding bored, his right hand pointing at the obvious open drawer that Ichigo ransacked quickly, "seems like my fortune cookie was right..." He looked out the window with reddish-brown eyes. "Said somethin' like 'you will soon bring joy to someone'."

"Well, it was wrong, alright?!" Ichigo snapped, snatching his wallet away from the shinigami, reaching down and clipping it to his waist. "I'm not in 'joy' right now, you bastard...I'm pissed!!"

"Why?" Renji asked, looking back at him, finally noting how close their faces were, but was used to close proximity between him and Ichigo Kurosaki by the zanpaku-to battles they always had. Yet, he quirked a tattooed brow, seeing a soft blush pink showing on the boy's face. "Ya got a fever or somethin'?"

He lifted his left hand, about to place it on the High Schooler's forehead until he abruptly backed up, head banging against his nightstand.

"I'm just fine!!" he shouted, narrowing his brown eyes, slowly rising to his feet. "W...we're not fighting...so...well I'm not used to non-violent closeness, that's all."

_And it is true,_ the orange haired Kurosaki thought as he turned, walking out the open door, leaving a lost Abarai behind, and his mind musing over such a confusing boy.

Sighing, he stood and trailed after him. "Hey," he spoke, finally catching up with him, "is this 'arcade' thing...a tradition or somethin'? I thought people celebrate with their parents."

"Number one, it's not a tradition. Second...it's just a gathering of friends, we hang out at the arcade every Saturday night." the boy frowned, his hands shoved into his pockets, both walking down the streets as the pale form tilted his head to the side, cracking his neck. "...Keigo started making us do this when he began to get to know Chad and I."

"Sounds like fun," Renji said, actually sounding interested. "So what do ya do when ya get there?"

"Do I have to explain everything to you, pineapple-head?" Ichigo hissed, narrowing his eyes and looking at him with aggravated brown orbs. "Why don't you just learn this stuff by yourself?"

The muscular form wrapped an arm around the teen's neck. "'cause learnin' 'em from you is more fun!" he grinned, provoking the boy's anger, making him lift his right bent knee and jab it into the older male's side. Slapping his opposite hand against the bent limb, Renji turned his head, glaring at the wide eyed substitute shinigami. "Don't ya ever try t' relax? You're always tryin' t' kill me with these kicks."

"Then don't touch m-"

Renji harshly pushed the knee down, growling. "Try lettin' people in, berry-head, it might prove useful later on."

Ichigo frowned, looking away as the redhead removed his arm, both walking in, their friends crowding around a game that seemed to be a dancing one. Excited, the fukutaicho walked over, watching as Mizuru and Keigo went at a song the shinigami had never heard before, music blasting in the large arcade. Turning his head to the side, Renji walked over to the motorcycle game, Ichigo trailing over, an interested look on his face.

"Wanna play?"

Ichigo blinked, seeing Renji turned and their eyes lock. Shrugging, he went over, swinging his right leg over, sitting on it with a look of pride. Actually looking pretty hot on the fake bike. Torn black jeans, a blood-red shirt with the insignia of a panther, a black jacket over it, zipped halfway up, and the wallet with the chain added a better effect. Reaching in his pocket for some money, he slid it in.

Looking over at Renji, his brown eyes gleamed with the word challenge written all over them. Smirking, Renji went over to the one next to the teenager, swinging his left leg over, taking offered money and sliding it in.

"Go against each other?" the substitute shinigami asked, receiving a nod as he grinned, both pressing the red button, positioning themselves to get ready, a crowd coming around both males, mainly girls, since they looked drop-dead sexy.

Renji's hair in his usual position, a tight shirt that was torn around the neck, sleeves, the bottom of the white shirt, leather jeans, completely tight, showing some things that the Abarai set aside, and wearing dark brown sneakers that looked old.

Hunching over, they immediately pressed their right foot down, speeding off in the game, turning to the right on the same time, leaning while Ichigo licked his lower lip, which he had been gnawing on. These games were always his favorite. Both leaned in the opposite directions, shoulders brushing as Renji's grin grew, gently nudging the teen's shoulder, hearing him chock down a gasp, a small blush appearing on his face like before.

Rukia tapped her foot on the dance-pad, Orihime leaping and spreading her legs slightly, both catching the activations to the dance game titled DDR, Dance Dance Revolution. Toshiro and Momo were eating pizza slowly as they watched the two girls dance, Keigo going over to the two friendly rivals, seeing that they were still going after it. When he plays with either one, he'd lose in a second.

"Heh...tired yet, pineapple-head?"

"Not yet, berry-head," he smirked. They swiftly jerked their hands up then down, speeding the motorcycle images up, going over one hundred miles per hour, everyone around them swooning over both of them. "How 'bout we make an interestin' twist in this game?"

"What're you suggesting?" Ichigo spoke, smirking as he licked his lips again, furrowing his brows.

"The loser has t' do whateva the winner wants them too,"

Girls gasped, dirty thoughts creeping in their minds as the handful of boys grinned. "Do it! Do it!" they cried, throwing their fists in the air, putting them down then throwing them back up. "Do it!!!"

"I agree," Ichigo grinned, tightening his grasp on the handles as Keigo placed the straw to his mouth, sipping up his Pepsi.

"Deal and you can't back out." the fukutaicho smirked, looking slyly at the Zangetsu possessor then back at the screen. "I can say this much...I'll win." A scowl was a reply.


	2. Price of Satisfaction

Ichigo narrowed his eyes as he looked at the screen with a determined face yet Renji, on the other hand, was grinning. His reddish-brown eyes so full of life, though he barely knew what he was doing.

First vehicle he rode in the human world though, was a motorcycle. Almost got Rukia killed on it as well, a few slaps across his face afterwards as well.

Ichigo's brown orbs shifted over to the redhead, staring at that all-so carefree grin, yet was snapped out of his musings when he heard Kiego cry out, "Dude, pay attention to your screen!!"

Gasping, he quickly leaned into Renji's direction, the chains connected to his wallet clanging against the model of a motorcycle, Renji tilting towards Ichigo's direction, a growl passing the young Kurosaki's pale lips, furrowing his brows as the dancing game's music roared, covering up the threatening sound. Tightening his grasp on the handlebars, the vibrant haired teenager bit his lower lip, both going back to sitting up straight.

Tatsuki walked over with Orihime, both quirking their brows, seeing that both shinigami were going almost two hundred miles in the video game, both staring at the orange haired Kurosaki, seeing a small smile grace his features, seeming as though it would help him play better.

Like it was the Zabimaru possessor, since he was leaning forward, pressing his foot down on the brake before Ichigo purposely crashed into him, which made him hiss angrily. The two competitors already on the eighth racing site.

Orihime pulled on Tatsuki's sleeve, looking at her with a shy look. "Tatsuki...um..."

The dark haired girl smiled, patting her childhood friend's head, nodding. "Yeah, here you go," She reached into her left pocket, rummaging through it for a while, then pulling out a white chocolate Reese's, "we'll share, okay? It's my last one, besides; I only have two fifty-six left."

The bright haired Inoue nodded excitedly, coiling her fingers around the wrapper, both tearing it open and reaching in, pulling out a white chocolate Reese's, popping it into their mouths with warm smiles, yet Tatsuki blinked once she heard a loud curse echo throughout the arcade.

And it sounded oddly like Renji.

Both teenaged girls stood on their toes, seeing that the redhead had Ichigo's elbow embedded into his side, his own elbow collided with the lightly tanned boy's chin to cheek, a low curse slipping past Ichigo's lips.

And both released the gas, slowly slowing down, rubbing the injured sites, yet Renji smirked over at the spiky haired teen, who's brown eyes widened, cheeks a deep crimson. "Y-you cheat!" he cried before the taller form slammed his foot on the gas peddle, Ichigo following soon after, grasping one of the handles, flicking his wrist, increasing the speed, zooming past Renji in the game, leaping backwards off the bike with a grin. "I win ya cheatin' bastard!!" he hollered, throwing his fists in the air, laughing as everyone around them cheered, some groaning, having bet that the Zabimaru possessor would win.

Renji simply shrugged as he got off, stepping over to the gloating teenager, smacking him upside the head.

"OW!!" he cried, glaring at the redhead as he crossed his muscular arms. "What the hell?! I won, don't you remember the deal?!"

"Yeah, but ya don't have t' gloat, shorty."

"I'm only an inch or so shorter than you!!"

Renji blinked, his reddish-brown eyes widening, finally noticing the grin on the usually scowling boy's face. Chuckling, he nodded, uncrossing his arms as he turned towards an opening through the crowd, walking out as the spiky haired teenager quirked a brow, following the tattooed Abarai.

_He smiled, that's quite unbecoming of him,_ the shinigami thought with a soft smile as he heard the rushed steps behind him, turning to see a flushed Zangetsu possessor standing before him once he turned. _If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're having fun, Ichigo._

Panting, Ichigo lifted his head, still smiling. "Hey, you're supposed to do whatever I tell you too now," he grinned, "hmm...what to make you do?" He placed a curled up fist under his chin, biting his tongue in concentration. "I wonder...hmm..."

Renji smirked, leaning back against the wall to the ladies' restroom, looking up with brown eyes, Ichigo's face brightened swiftly, way lighter then anyone could imagine.

"Go into the ladies' restroom!"

"W-what?! Ichigo, that's – it's wrong for a manly man like me to go into a women's bathroom!!" he protested, now regretting the bet he had made with the boy. "Y-you're...not...kidding, are you?"

"Nope!"

Renji sighed, turning and walking towards the restroom, pressing his left hand's palm against it, looking over at the orange haired teen with a pleading look, only to be complied with a manic-like smirk. Growling angrily, he pushed open the door and walked in.

Looking around slowly, he released the air he hadn't noticed he was holding, the tiles were scrubbed to cleanliness, shining brightly, almost blinding him as he looked across the sinks, seeing that they were doing the same thing.

Taking a small step forth, a stall slammed open, a small girl with raven colored hair exiting, deep violet eyes peering up, and a familiar childish face staring back.

A few second later, the girl's shoed foot was introduced to his jaw, being literally kicked out of the bathroom, flying through the sliding door, crashing into Ichigo, who had gotten worried, thinking that Renji had gotten too nervous to walk back out, and since he was sent spiraling out, his chest was against the young Kurosaki's, hands on both sides of the teenager's head, elbows bent, lips connected as Ichigo kicked him off, spitting on the ground, a deep crimson blush on his face.

"What the hell?! Why'd you kiss me, you faggot?!"

"Rukia kicked me..." Renji wheezed, rubbing his jaw. "...and as you can tell, it was strong enough to send me flying...is that what you people mean by 'kicked-out'?"

Ichigo shook his head slowly, lifting his right hand and wiping his mouth, mind racing as he slowly stood, taking his hand away, tasting metallic and salt on his tongue, seeing that Renji accidentally bit his lower lip with those sharp canines.

"No, geez...you two are insane." he stuttered, words forced out as girls ran over to the orange haired Kurosaki, helping him stand, yet he just simply told them he was fine. "Dammit, Renji...if any one of my friends saw that, I swear to God...I'll kill you!!"

"Ichigo!" Orihime's voice chirped, rushing towards him, eyes full of worry. "Are you alright? Y-you're bleeding!"

"I'm just fine, Orihime," he muttered, walking past the crowd, shaking his head roughly as Renji ran to catch up, placing a hand on Ichigo's shoulder, forcing him to turn around as his brown eyes widened, expecting it to be the bright haired girl, who might've gotten bold, only to see who he didn't want to see at that moment. "Go away, Renji..." he hissed, blush still gracing his features. "O-Orihime saw it...and now...Jesus...what am I gonna do?! Sending you into the girl's bathroom was a stupid idea!!"

"But your pride made you do it, you idiot," the redhead sighed, shaking his head, "and you wanted t' humiliate me, which you succeeded in doing. But...satisfying your own wants...is what made that happen, it's a double-edged sword with Rukia, you dolt."

If it was even possible, the orange haired teen's face grew redder as he dropped it.

_...yeah, double-edged..._ He looked up at the redhead with half-lidded eyes. _What's this...feeling in my stomach...? Feels like butterflies...are fluttering, oh hell no!! I-it can't be! I..._

He pushed the redhead away, turning and running off somewhere in the arcade as Renji slowly sat up. "What was that for, you asshole?!" he called, his tattooed brows furrowed.


	3. Hidden emotions Surface

Ichigo ran off to the karaoke machine, ducking into the crowd, looking up to see Mizuro singing to some song called "Blue Eyes", or something close to that, looking at the young Kurosaki with a quirked brow.

Pulling off the ending, he smiled down on the teenager, handing him the microphone. "I choose for my friend, Ichigo Kurosaki, to sing."

"What?!" he cried, eyes wide as he looked to the side with a stubborn frown. "No way!"

"Sing!" everyone around them shouted, pumping their fists into the air. "Sing!!"

He glared, finally nodding with a growl. And that's exactly when Renji stumbled in, almost tripping. Regaining his balance, he noticed that Ichigo was staring at him with wide eyes, his grasp tightening on the microphone.

"Life is Beautiful by Sixx," the machine announced, everyone growing quiet, as though they had never heard this song before, a deep, mello, beat flowed from the huge speakers, bright blue lyrics scrolling right to left.

Ichigo licked his lips, then parted them. He knew this song by heart, since he could never get enough of it.

**_You can't quit until you try_**

**_You can't live until you die_**

**_You can't learn to tell the truth_**

**_Until you learn to lie_**

**_You can't breathe until you choke_**

**_You gotta laugh when you're the joke_**

**_There's nothing like a funeral_**

**_To make you feel alive_**

Ichigo shut his eyes, emotion actually flowing across his usually unemotional face, tilting his head back as though he were praying to God.

**_Just open your eyes, just open your eyes_**

**_And see that life is beautiful_**

**_Will you swear on your life_**

**_That no one will cry at my funeral?_**

**_I know some things that you don't_**

**_I've done things that you won't_**

**_There's nothing like a trail of blood_**

**_Till you find your way back home_**

The lightly tanned teen dropped his head, his eyes slowly fluttering open, the brown eyes shimmering, making it seem like he was ready to shed a few tears, his grasp on the musical instrument tightening as he stood stiff.

Renji's heart sunk, but it fluttered high when Ichigo turned to face everyone with an emotional look on his face, giving the song more effect.

**_I was waiting for my hearse_**

**_What came next was so much worse_**

**_It took a funeral to make me feel alive_**

**_Just open your eyes, just open your eyes_**

**_And see that life is beautiful_**

**_Will you swear on your life_**

**_That no one will cry at my funeral?_**

The voice that was usually silent on some days let loose the anger, the beat raising as the crowd cheered, pumping their fists, flicking their wrists, and smiling. Emotion rushing through them as Ichigo thrust out his right hand, clenched in a fist as he slammed his eyes shut, his canines seeming dangerous as Renji stared.

**_Alive, just open your eyes, just open your eyes_**

**_And you see that life is beautiful_**

**_Will you swear on your life_**

**_That no one will cry at my funeral?_**

**_Just open your eyes, just open your eyes_**

**_And see that life is beautiful_**

**_Will you swear on your life_**

**_That no one will cry at my funeral?_**

Ichigo handed the microphone over to a teary eyed girl, smiling at her warmly, then hopped off the stage, walking off as Renji blinked, snapping himself out of his daze and turning, rushing after Ichigo with his heart pounding.

_He looked...so beautiful up there..._

The redhead stopped, seeing that the orange haired Kurosaki had planted his behind on a chair with white steel curves, red cushions which were extremely soft, and gazing out the window with his elbow on the table, chin placed on his left hand.

Eyes were distant as Renji released held breath that he hadn't realized he was holding.

_So...different..._

Walking over, he sat down on the stool in front of the eldest Kurosaki sibling, smiling at him as those brown eyes trailed over to the redhead, blinking once he noticed that the man was smiling.

"You sang that song," he paused, looking out the window, searching for the right words, then looked back at the orange haired teenager, "very well. Like you knew it like the back of your hand."

Ichigo simply shrugged, a waitress walking over with bright blue lipstick, her lashes traced with the same color mascara.

"Anything I can get you two?" she asked with a bright smile, her eyes a deep emerald green.

Renji clicked his tongue, thinking deeply about his new favorite drink while Ichigo simply frowned at the waitress, eyeing the name tag.

"I'll have...some Diet Coke plus." he spoke, turning back to the window. The redhead looked over at the brunette, smiling warmly, finally deciding what he wanted.

"I'll have some Moutain Dew," he announced, feeling Ichigo kick him underneath the table, his own legs automatically trapping the attacker, being rewarded with a glare as the girl turned briskly, trotting off, her plaid skirt bouncing. "That was rude, Ichigo," he growled, facing Ichigo to see that the teen was biting his lower lip, trying to keep his temper down.

"You...like almost everything I do," the teen growled, reaching into his pocket for the money to pay for their drinks, "you're really weird, Renji,"

"Yeah, but you love that about me anyway!" the red haired Abarai laughed, seeing a blush slap Ichigo's face as he looked away, dropping it to see where his hands were. Horrifyingly realizing that they were on the table, his left on his thigh as the right reached across the table, grasping a handful of the fabric to the man's shirt. "Whoa, slow down, I know ya like me...but geez."

"I do not!" the boy protested, his right hand hastily pulling back like the redhead across from him was fire, or something his parents told him never to touch. "You're sick!"

Renji lifted his left hand, covering his mouth while he chuckled as Ichigo tried prying his captured leg with his free one. Cursing under his breath, Ichigo glared up at the tattooed from.

"Let go!" he shouted, hunching over the table and grabbing onto Renji's shirt, pulling him close. "I'm getting a freakin' cramp! Now lemme go!"

Renji just grinned, shaking his head from side to side, his ponytail flicking from side to side. Rage bubbled up in the orange haired teen's stomach, releasing the fabric, only to grab the sides of the redhead's head, smashing their lips together.

Ichigo's face was completely flushed while Renji's eyes widened slightly, yet silently pleased with this only a bit. Lapping at the lightly tanned teen's lower lip, the youth complied, parting his lips, letting Renji's pink organ to invade.

Wrapping an arm around the slightly shorter form, Renji explored the moist cavern that tasted exactly Ichigo, unique. Pushing closer, slick invisible liquid dripped down the side of the teen's mouth as he moaned in a low tone.

Parting, the orange haired teen gasped, realizing what had just happened, releasing the taller form and sitting back down, wiping his mouth with the back of his right hand, feeling saliva on the side as he frowned.

"Forget w-what happened," he stammered, "a-and don't tell anyone...or I'll...kick your ass."

"Sure," Renji grinned, leaning back in his chair as the waitress returned, placing their drinks down.

"There you go," she smiled, "that'll be four dollars and twenty-five cents."

Ichigo nodded, handing her exact cash, breathing out once she pranced away to another table, looking up shyly at the redhead to see that he had already popped the cap off his Mountain Dew, drinking it with closed reddish-brown eyes.

_It's true..._ the youth thought sadly as he slowly unscrewed the cap off his own drink. _I'm in...I like Renji._

**_XXXX_**

**_Yes, the arcade has a karaoke machine!! (evil laughter) I think I went a little over the line with the kiss, but I like it! Hey, I even got humor in there! Please review._**


End file.
